SAN ANTONIO – No. 5-ranked Abilene Christian University scored early and often to hammer University of Incarnate Word, 54-17, Saturday night at Benson Stadium, improving its record to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the Lone Star Conference South Division.
Sophomore quarterback
Mitchell Gale threw for 379 yards and five touchdowns to lead No. 5 ACU over UIW, which fell to 2-5 and 0-3 in the LSC. The Cardinals led the Wildcats in time of possession but when ACU did get the ball, it scored nearly at will.
ACU junior running back
Daryl Richardson opened the scoring with a 1-yard TD run at 10:42 of the first quarter, but Gale kept the ball in the air most of the first half, tossing three scoring passes as the Wildcats built a 37-7 halftime lead.
Edmund Gates caught a 33-yard TD pass,
Morgan Lineberry contributed a 27-yard field goal and linebacker
Eric Edwards returned a fumble 25 yards for another score. Edwards' TD was made possible by a highlight-making hit from
L.B. Suggs, who separated tight end Andrew Mocio from his helmet and the ball before Edwards picked up the latter and rumbled into the end zone.
Wildcat wide receiver
Edmund Gates caught three passes for 121 yards and two scores, and
Raymond Radway had another 85 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Freshman running back
Charcandrick West caught three passes for 82 yards, one of them a 67-yard TD.
The two teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter: Lineberry's 26-yarder and a 33-yarder from UIW's Thomas Rebold.
ACU's offense totaled 526 yards (419 passing and 107 rushing) and held the Cardinals to 265 (176 passing and 89 rushing).
Josh Morgan led Wildcat rushers with 31 yards on six carries.
Suggs headlined ACU's defense with nine tackles, while Edwards added seven and linebacker
Kevin Washington had six. Wildcat defenders threw Cardinal ball-carriers for losses 11 times, broke up four passes and forced two fumbles.
